LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — It’s just a little robot. Not big enough to go out in the street by itself. It can’t go very fast and it has to stay on the sidewalk.
So why do Nevada lawmakers care about this little guy?
They want it to know it has the same rights and responsibilities as a pedestrian. And it must use the crosswalk and stay out of trouble.
Senate Bill 422 (SB422) lays out the rules for “personal delivery devices” — electrically powered devices intended to transport cargo. They have to watch their weight — 150 pounds when empty — and they can’t go over 10 mph.
The bill that’s being discussed on Wednesday in Carson City by the Senate Growth and Infrastructure Committee might strike you as oddly specific, but someday Nevada might be writing laws for the Terminator (Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 or the T-800), and you’ve got to learn as you go — even if the Terminator probably won’t follow the letter of the law.
Personal delivery devices aren’t passenger vehicles, and they can’t carry hazardous materials. And they aren’t allowed to interfere with other pedestrians or traffic. They are also required to carry liability insurance and come marked with a unique identifying number and a means of identifying and contacting the operator of the device.
SB 422 is sponsored by the Senate Growth and Infrastructure Committee, chaired by Dallas Harris, a Clark County Democrat.
